Vital Information
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Steve Smith and Vital Information is an American jazz fusion group led by drummer Steve Smith.
Vital Information was formed by Steve Smith in 1983 with friends Tim Landers, Dave Wilczewski, Dean Brown, and Mike Stern. Years later and after several personnel changes, Vital Information has become a formidable fusion juggernaut whose longevity surpasses the Zawinul Syndicate, Tribal Tech and even Weather Report.
The current all-star lineup of Tom Coster (keyboards), Vinny Valentino (guitar), Baron Browne (bass) and Steve Smith (drums) serve up a veritable banquet of sounds, from slamming funk and syncopated second line grooves to seriously swinging, uptempo B-3 burners, South Indian Carnatic inspired jams and sizzling fuzoid romps. Vital Information continues to hone its "U.S. music" direction while staking out some adventurous new territory.
[edit] Discography and Personnel
- Vitalization - Hudson Music LLC/Vital Info Inc. 2007
- Steve Smith: Drumset and konnakol
- Tom Coster: Keyboards and accordion
- Baron Browne: Bass
- Vinny Valentino: Guitar
- special guests:
- Bill Evans: Tenor and soprano saxophones
- Pete Lockett: Tabla, kanjira, percussion, and konnakol
- Gilad: Congas and percussion
- Juan Carlos Melian: Congas and percussion
- Come On In - Tone Center/Mascot 2004
- Steve Smith: Drumset and udu
- Frank Gambale: Guitar
- Tom Coster: Keyboards and accordion
- Baron Browne: Bass
- Show 'Em Where You Live - Intuition Records/Tone Center 2001
- Tom Coster: Hammond B-3, Fender Rhodes, Korg Trinity, accordion
- Baron Browne: Bass
- Steve Smith: Drums
- Frank Gambale: Guitar
- Live From Mars - (bootleg) 2001
- Steve Smith: Drums
- Frank Gambale: Guitar
- Tom Coster: Keyboards
- Baron Browne: Bass
- Live Around The World: Where We Come From Tour '98-'99 - Intuition Records 2000
- Steve Smith: Drums
- Frank Gambale: Guitar
- Tom Coster: Hammond B-3, accordion, Korg Trinity
- Baron Browne: Bass
- Where We Come From - Intuition Records 1998
- Steve Smith: Drums
- Frank Gambale: Guitars
- Tom Coster: Hammond B-3, Fender Rhodes, accordion
- Jeff Andrews: Electric and acoustic basses
- Ray Of Hope - Intuition Records 1996
- Frank Gambale: Guitars
- Steve Smith: Drums
- Tom Coster: Keyboards
- Jeff Andrews: Bass
- Easier Done Than Said - Blue Note Records 1992
- Steve Smith: Drums, finger snaps, keyboards, keyboard programming
- Tom Coster: Keyboards, piano, synth programming
- Frank Gambale: Electric and acoustic guitars
- Jeff Andrews: Bass, keyboards
- Tim Landers: Keyboards
- Bob Marlette: Keyboards
- Kit Walker: Keyboards, piano, synth programming, keyboard comp, finger snaps
- Tom Coster Jr.: Organ, keyboards, synth programming
- Andy Narell: Steel drums
- Ian Wallace: finger snaps
- Rob Jones: finger snaps
- Vitalive! - Vera Bra Records/Blue Note Records 1990
- Steve Smith: Drums
- Tom Coster: Keyboards
- Frank Gambale: Guitar, voice
- Larry Schneider: Saxophone
- Larry Grenadier: Acoustic bass
- Tom Coster Jr.: Additional keyboards
- Fiafiaga (Celebration) - Columbia Records 1988
- Steve Smith: Drums, keyboards
- Dave Wilczewski: Tenor, alto and soprano saxophones, piano
- Frank Gambale: Electric and acoustic guitars
- Tom Coster: Keyboards, piano
- Kia Eckhardt-Karpeh: Bass
- Jay Oliver: Keyboards, rhythm guitar programming, computer programming, synth programming
- Kit Walker: Keyboards
- Prince Joni Haastrup: Vocals
- Torsten De Winkel: Guitar, guitar comping
- Barry Finnerty: Guitar
- Andy Narell: Steel drums
- Corrado Rusticci: Electric and acoustic guitars
- Lenny Castro: Percussions
- Vladimir Johnson: Vocals
- Tim Landers: Bass
- Global Beat - Columbia Records 1987
- Steve Smith: Drums, cowbell, synthesizer
- Dean Brown: Guitar
- Tim Landers: Bass, synthesizers
- Dave Wilczewski: Tenor, alto and soprano saxophones
- Tom Coster: Keyboards, DX7 harmonica
- Ray Gomez: Pickin' guitar, guitar
- Mike Fisher: Percussion
- Andy Narell: Steel drums
- Prince Joni Haastrup: Voice, talking drum, shaker
- Kwaku Daddy: Congas, talking drum, percussion
- Barry Finnerty: Guitar
- Armando Peraza: Bongos
- Jeff Richman: Guitar
- Brad Dutz: Tablas, percussion
- Orion - Columbia Records 1984, reissued by Wounded Bird Records 2005
- Steve Smith: Drums, piano, percussion
- Dean Brown: Electric and acoustic guitars, synthesizer guitar, piano from space
- Tim Landers: Bass guitar, tenor bass guitar, taurus pedals
- Dave Wilczewski: Tenor, alto and soprano saxophones
- Eef Albers: Electric guitar
- Vital Information - Columbia Records 1983, reissued by Wounded Bird Records 2005
- Steve Smith: Drums, piano
- Mike Stern: Guitar
- Dean Brown: Guitar
- Tim Landers: Bass
- Dave Wilczewski: Tenor saxophone
